Combined door and step operating mechanism.



H. ROWNTRBE.

COMBINED DOOR AND STEP OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 1910,

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

2 SHEETBSHEET 1.

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H. RUWNTRBE.

COMBINED DOOR AND STEP OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 1910. 976,926. Patented N0v.29, 1910.

Wow/tom HAROLD ROWNTBEE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL PNEUMATIC COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A

CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

COMBINED DOOR AND STEP OPERATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

Original application filed April 3, 1909, Serial No. 487,667. Divided and this application filed July 1, 1910.

Serial No.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLD RowN'rnnE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Combined Door and Step Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to combined door and step operating mechanism.

The object of the invention is to provide a mechanism, power actuated, for coincidently operating doors and steps, and particularly double hinged doors, and which is simple and eflicient.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 is a view in top plan of a construction of door and associated step and power actuated devices for operating the same, embodying the principles of my invention, parts being in horizontal section. Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section on the line 2, 2, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The subject matter herein shown and claimed is divided from my application Serial No. 487,667, filed April 3, 1909.

In the practical application of my invention I have shown the same as applied to a street car.

The same part is designated by the same reference wherever it occurs.

In the drawing reference sign 3 designates the floor of a car, 4 are jambs, posts or other parts arranged to form a doorway space, or entry between them. At the sides of this doorway and adjacent the jambs or posts 4, are vertically extending shafts 5, suitably j ournaled to rock in bearings provided therefor. Castings 6, are carried by the shafts 5, to rock or swing therewith. The doors 7 are secured to the castings 6, and supported thereby. The shafts 5, are somewhat removed from the adjacent jambs or posts 4, so that the doors, when open, will lie close a ainst the faces of the jambs. In order to c ose the space between the shafts and their adjacent jambs when the doors are closed; each door is provided on the edge thereof which is closest to the jamb, with an auxiliary narrow panel 8, which, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, forms a closure for the space referred to when the door is closed. The narrow panels 8 are carried by the extensions 9, of the castings 6. The castings, at or adjacent their outer or free ends are provided with extensions 10, in which are carried vertical rods 11, designed to form hand grabs to aid passengers entering or leaving the car, where my invention is applied to street cars, to ascend to or descend from the floor of the car. The vertical rock shafts 5 may also serve the same purpose.

To the underside of the floor supporting beam 12, or other suitable or convenient part, is secured a casting 13, which may be arranged to form one of the bearings 22, in which the shaft 5 is journaled. Upon a pivot pin 14, carried by said casting 13, is pivotally mounted a bracket 15, arranged to form a support for a step 16. Of course it will be understood that a similar support is provided, if desired, at each end of the step so as to afford an efficient and substantial support therefor. Each bracket 15 is provided with an extension 17, beyond the axis of its supporting pivot pin 14, and which extension cooperates with an adjustable stop or limit pin 18, mounted in the casting 13, to form an abutment for the step when in position for use, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Pivotally connected at one end to the extension 17 of each bracket 15, is a link 19, the other end of said link being pivotally connected to a crank arm 20, mounted on the adjacent shaft 5, whereby, when the shaft is rocked to open or close the door the step is cooperatingly moved into or out of position for use as the case may be. Since a casting 15, is provided for each end of the step, and each casting is connected to its adjacent shaft 5, it follows that the associated doors, shafts and step must all move in unison.

Suitably supported by brackets 23, or otherwise, mounted on the inner face of the beam 12, or other convenient part, is a power cylinder 24. This cylinder is open at both ends and has two op ositely faced pistons 25, therein. The shafts 5, are provided with crank arms 26, which are respec nection port 34.

tively connected by links 27, or otherwise, to locking mechanism for the doors or steps the pistons 25, whereby when said pistons when in this position. This isa desirable are moved the shafts 5, are rocked. The feature in street car constructions for the piston rods or links 27, extend through the reason that while the doors are held Closed open ends of the cylinder for connection to with sufiicient degree of pressure to prevent the pistons. A valve device, indicated genthe same from being opened by passengers erally by reference sign A, Fig. 1, controls loaning thereagainst, still, by applying conthe supply and exhaust of operating mecentrated force the doors may be opened in dium to and from the cylinder. In the case of panic, accident or other cause, or form shown a pressure supply connection in case the conductor should be forced to 28, extends from the valve or control device leave his station, thereby enabling the pas- A, to a point midway the length of the sengers to release themselves.

cylinder 24, and between the pistons 25. I do not claim herein the door operating The valve or control device comprises a valve mechanism per 86 as the same forms the sub- 29, having an operating handle 30, and is jeet-matter of my application Serial No. adapted to operate over a seat surface 31, 487,667, filed April 8, 1909, of which the having the pressure supply port 32, the expresent application is a division. It will haust port 33, and the cylinder supply conalso be seen that in a construction of door The under face of the valve operating mechanism such as above de- 29 is provided with a channel or recess inscribed means for cushioning the door movedicated in dotted lines at 35, whereby the ments are not required.

ports 33, and 34, may be brought into com aving now set forth the object and 11a munication with each other whenever deture of my invention, and a construction emsired. This control device is represented bodying the principles thereof, and having somewhat diagrammatically as the structure described such construction, its purpose, thereof in its details forms no part of the function and mode of operation, what I present invention, and hence any suitable or claim as new and useful and of my own inconvenient form of control device may be vention, and desire to secure by Letters Patemployed. out is Where the control device is manipulated 1. The combination with swinging doors, so as to admit pressure medium to the cylinof a cylinder, pistons operating therein and der 24, at a point between the pistons 25, respectively connected to the doors to opersaid pistons are forced apart thereby coinate the same, means for yieldingly opposing 'cidently rocking the shafts 5, and hence the movements of the pistons, a step, interswinging the doors closed, the doors being mediate connections between the pistons and held in their closed positions by the force step for securing coincident movement of of the pressure medium and when the presthe doors and step, and means for control-l sure medium is opened to exhaust from the ling the supply and exhaust of operating cylinder the doors are free to move to open medium to and from the cylinder. position. In order to insure the movement 2. The combination with a door and step, of the doors to open position when the presof power mechanism for moving the door in sure is exhausted from the cylinder 24: I proone direction, a spring for moving the door vlde each shaft 5, with a crank arm 37, ar-

in the other direction and connections for ranged to pro eet in opposite directions, and moving the step coincldently with the door I connect these crank arms by means of a movements. strong spiral or other spring 38, the tension 3. The combination with a door and step, of which is constantly exerted in a direction of a rock shaft, connections between said to hold the doors open. The operation of shaft and the door and step respectively, the doors to thelr closed position by the preS pressure operated mechanism for rocking sure medium acting on the pistons 25, is

the shaft in one direction and means for against the tension of spring 38. yiel dingly opposing such rocking movement.

Comcidently with the movements of the 4. The combination with door jambs, doors the actuation of the step 16 is also acswinging doors for controlling the entry be complished through the connections above tween said jambs, a movable, step, interdescribed. mediate connections between the door and A combined door and step operating mechstep to secure coincident movement, a cylinanism, such as above described is simple, inder having oppositely faced pistons respeceXpensive, cheap and substantial, and can tively connected to the doors on opposite be easily and quickly installed. It is obsides of the entry, and means for controlvious that the control device A, may be loling the supply and exhaust of operating cated at any convenient point. medium to and from the cylinder at a point intermediate the pistons.

By reason of the fact that the pressure medium holds the doors and steps in their 5. The combination with swinging doors, of a rock shaft carrying each door, a step,

closed position it will be observed that I avoid the necessity of providing positive connections between each shaft and said step, a pressure operated means for rocking power operated mechanism for rocking said said shafts coincidently, and means for conshafts. trolling said power mechanism. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 6. The combination with rocking shafts my hand in the presence of the subscribing 5 arranged on opposite sides of a doorway, Witnesses, on this 9th day of June A. D., 1-5

doors respectively carried by said shafts, 1910.

swinging brackets having connection With HAROLD ROWNTREE. said shaft, a step supported at its ends upon Witnesses: said brackets, stop devices for limiting the EDMUND R. DODGE,

10 rocking movements of said brackets, and MAE W. CLINTON. 

